


I Have Died Every Day

by EvanHarr98



Series: Grumbo Tag Series [2]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Although It Does Toe That Line, Cute, DON'T SHIP REAL PEOPLE, Domestic Fluff, Fae Magic, FaeGrian, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, HumanMumbo, I don't even know anymore, I promise, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Strangers to Friends, Strangers to Lovers, Winged Grian, You can make your own mind up if it is or not, not bestiality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:27:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23828335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvanHarr98/pseuds/EvanHarr98
Summary: Fae had been living alongside humans for years, our elders have been aware of this for so long, but with modern-day technology and our all-consuming ability to search for knowledge, our belief in the fae have been diminished to that of fairy tales that our grandparents told us about.Or at least that's what Mumbo thought...(This story is on a hiatus, but it will be completed, I won’t leave it unfinished :D - however, I am sorry if any of you are upset by this declaration :( I hope to be posting new chapters for this story soon)
Relationships: Mumbo Jumbo/Grian, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Series: Grumbo Tag Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712479
Comments: 31
Kudos: 128





	1. Memories

The sun shone brightly down on the small village. Birds sang their melodies of nature high in the trees above. Mumbo stood facing the cabin he'd grown up in, a silly smile plastered across his face as he let himself absorb the entire scene. The house was made almost entirely from spruce wood, but it also was decorated with smooth stone, that lined the corners and decorated the window sills and doorway. He'd grown up in this cabin, his parents had died when he was young. Orphaned and alone, his grandma had taken him in and had raised him as her own son. A tear pricked at Mumbo's eye at the thought of the woman, he'd loved so dearly. He wouldn't have been stood at the cabin had it not been for the news he'd received from one of their old neighbours. His grandma had been ill for a very long time, and after a long arduous battle, she'd finally passed away and was laid to rest. His heart clenched as he was reminded of the sweet moments of his childhood, freshly baked apple pie, sat by the log fire before bed and of course, his favourite memories had been the times when his grandma would tell him the stories of the fae creatures. Of course, he had believed her. He was only eight at the time. He remembered traipsing through the forest that stood beyond their cabin, as he searched for the mystical beings. Now an adult, Mumbo was almost certain that his grandma had such a wild imagination, and the fact that she had shared any of that magic with him, as a child, was enough to warm his heart, just as he used to feel when she'd present him with his favourite freshly baked cookies. 

But, his plan was to return to the cabin and get the place fixed up before selling it on. He had a well-established life in the city and hadn't the time to keep the cabin maintained to the standard that his grandma had kept it in, the standard that it deserved. He reached and plucked his suitcase from the ground and walked towards the door, letting himself in. A wave of nostalgia flooded his senses. The interior hadn't changed since one bit, the smell of freshly baked goods still permeated the air with their perfumes, he could almost hear the sound of her humming from the kitchen. He scrubbed at his watery cheek as he forced the memories from his mind. He had work to be getting on with and hadn't the time to be stood for hours on end, a sobbing mess. He had cried enough for an army of sadness and he was distantly surprised that his tear reservoirs hadn't been depleted completely. With a distant sigh, Mumbo traipsed to the master bedroom and began to unpack. He'd been able to beg a month from work, to allow himself the time to process what had happened and to give the time to get the cabin up to scratch to be sold again, and Mumbo had planned to spend the entire month staying at the cabin, absorbing every last memory from it before he had to return to work.

* * *

After unpacking, cooking his dinner and settling himself back into the house, Mumbo was contentedly sat by the warm fire, it's golden glow lit the room around him as it crackled and chattered sweet nothings at him. He was almost certain that he could see his grandma's face appearing in the flames, but on second thought, it may have been tricks played by his tired mind.

The moustached man's eyes slowly slipped closed, lulled into a peaceful doze by the soft presence of the fire and a generous helping of port that his grandma had stashed away years prior. He was just teetering on the edge of slumber when he heard a soft scratching against the door. Mumbo cracked an eye open and glanced to the side and watched the door for a moment. When the sound wasn't repeated, he snuggled back into the soft armchair and let himself fall back into that peaceful haze, somewhere between wakefulness and sleep. Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Mumbo's brow furrowed as he peaked back to the door. He'd heard again, three times consecutively. His stomach knotted slightly with nerves, it was too late for any of the neighbours to have been out and checking in, he was distantly aware of the different animals that called the nearby woods their home, but they were all very timid, like foxes and rabbits. Surely, they wouldn't have been brave enough to have ventured into the village. Scratch. Scratch. 

There it was again. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on the spruce door. He had no choice but to check out what the source of the noise could be. He pushed himself from the chair and hesitantly crept towards the door. Before he opened it, he leant across and peered through the window that stood beside the wooden door. No luck. The world had been bathed in a tarry black that was just not available in the city, driven away by the light pollution. It was one of Mumbo's favourite things about the village, where he grew up. When night fell, there was nothing to penetrate that inky darkness, as it spread its pure veil across the world. Sighing slightly, Mumbo cracked the door open. 

Stood on the porch, he could make out a silhouette of a man, but the outline of his body was so obscure and strange. Mumbo could hardly recognise that it was a human at all. "Can I help you?" He called out to it, his heart hammering in his chest, for all he knew, it could have been an animal of some kind that had decided that they were in the mood for a helping of Mumbo Jumbo and a side order of moustache.

At the sound of his voice, the creature startled. Mumbo watched as the shoulders - or what he presumed were shoulders - hunched and the stance widened with fear. Or was that aggression? Either way, he hadn't the time to make his mind up for the creature had scarpered. It ran away from the house and vanished from his line of sight. 

Heart still wreaking havoc against his ribcage, Mumbo clicked the door shut and pulled the metal latch across, locking it for good measure. Whatever that creature could have been, he was not prepared to confront it again. 


	2. Who We Are

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, it was more of a trial to see if I would enjoy working with this tag, and I do. So I'm creating a multi-chaptered little fic about it :D I hope you enjoy this, I can't promise on how regularly it will be updated. 
> 
> I don't have any reference pictures for how Grian looks, so I will describe him the best I can, please bear with me on that >.>

Mumbo heaved a sigh as he slammed the axe back down onto the log. He'd been redecorating the cabin for the past few days, and it had been almost a week since he'd arrived at his late grandma's home. He was very thankful that he'd had no more strange nocturnal visitors. But the fuel supply for the fireplace had been used, so that's where he found himself. Stood on the edge of the forest and slicing his sharp blade through the wood. 

His muscles ached with each swoop of the axe, sweat beaded against his brow as he worked. He swiped the cuff of his sleeve across his forehead, drying the dampness that had collected there, he brushed his raven hair back and out of his eyes. He'd only chopped through a small handful of logs and he was already fatigued. When he'd been younger, in his teens, and still living with his grandma, this activity was a weekly task that he'd take on. He'd been much fitter then, it seemed.

Just as Mumbo brought the axe down again, he heard a twig snap from behind him and a few birds were disturbed from their perch on a branch of a nearby oak tree. Mumbo's ears twitched at the sound and he glanced back. All he could see was the same cluster of trees that made up the mouth of the forest, thousands of others followed behind them, but the darkness blanketed the depths of the forest from his sight. 

Shrugging off the sound, as some sort of small animal, Mumbo moved to continue his task when he heard a breath. It was more of a gasp. Mumbo dropped the axe and surveyed the woods once more. His eyes scanned each tree, as if they held strange secrets. They may as well have, for all he knew. "Whoever is there, come out." He commanded, trying his best to seem stern, although he was painfully aware of the tremor in his voice. What did this person want? Was it even a person? Was he about it be its next meal?

"You are who?" A soft voice called from the forest. It was so soft and gravelly, almost as if the one who'd spoken had only just realised they could speak and was using their voice for the first time. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on each tree as he searched for the person who'd spoken. All he could see were looming trees and the mysteries they hid. 

"I'm sorry?" Mumbo asked. He must have been going insane. He was stood on the edge of the forest talking to an invisible man. 

Just as that thought entered the forefront of Mumbo's mind, a creature stood forward, it's arms outstretched and it's eyebrows pinched together with concern. "No sorry. No sorry needed. Me did not mean to hurt." Mumbo's eyes widened at the sight of the creature as it came stumbling out from the forest. It seemed to be almost completely naked, but its body was coated in a thick dusting of light brown fur. Its body was structured like that of a man. Mumbo would have assumed that that was what it was, a man. Except, it had small horns that peaked through blond curls and large wings jutted from its body, the feathers of said wings were a sandy yellow, each feather perfectly groomed. A soft dusting of freckles covered the things face and bright blue, wide eyes watched him hesitantly. Its arms were outstretched and placating.

"You hurt?" It asked, the sentence structure that the thing used was so strange, Mumbo could pick out the meaning of the words, but it was as if he was speaking to Yoda.

At the thing's question, Mumbo was pulled from his shocked thoughts. He glanced about himself, trying to get his bearings on reality. "Uhh... What?" He asked. "Oh! Hurt? No... I'm not hurt?" Mumbo replied. The creature's shoulders slumped then, it's wings fluttering with the movement.

"Why you sorry?" It asked, confusion scrunched its face. Mumbo frowned before understanding dawned on him.

"I wasn't apologising... I guess I was just asking for you to repeat yourself." He elaborated. Realisation spread through the creature's face and it nodded, that was when Mumbo noticed the soft baby pink flowers that were stuck in its hair. It was almost sweet in its appearance.

"Repeat? Oh, English word do not know. I ask who you." 

"I'm Mumbo Jumbo." Mumbo muttered, dumbfounded at the entire situation. His morning had been relatively normal, his entire week so far had been relatively normal. This, however, was far from that.

"Jumbo? Same as Eleanor." It muttered thoughtfully.

"Eleanor? That's my grandma's name." Mumbo answered, shadows slowly growing on his face as he realised his mistake. "I mean, that _was_ her name."

"Eleanor here?" It asked hopefully. Mumbo's heart clenched at that, he shook his head somberly.

"No. She..." His throat thickened, halting his words. He coughed lightly, trying to clear it, before he attempted the sentence again. "She died."

"Die? One with Earth, rests now with Thanatos." It muttered thoughtfully. "Peace." It's brow furrowed once again. "Then who you?"

"I'm her grandson." He explained.

"Son of son?"

"Yeah." It nodded.

"What are you?" Mumbo asked, as the thing paused in thought.

"I am Grian, fae of the woods." He smiled, happy with himself, his fuzzy chest puffed up with pride. Mumbo could barely hide the smirk at how cute this man? Fae? Creature? Was.

"Why have you come here?" Mumbo asked.

"I come to see Eleanor." Grian's brow furrowed, almost as if he'd just realised that he no longer had a reason to be there. It shrugged and smiled at Mumbo. "I can see you now." It grinned.

"Was that you the other night?" Grian nodded, his ears flicking backwards.

"Mumbo scare me." He muttered. "I come to see Eleanor, but it was Mumbo." 

From behind the two, and far deeper in the woods, a soft clicking could be heard. Grian crouched, his ears flicking as he listened to the clicks. He returned with a strange sound of his own, it was almost a whistle, he smiled when the clicking returned before it fell silent. Grian's eyes flicked back to Mumbo. "I must go now, Mumbo. I be back soon?"

Mumbo nodded. "Okay." He then watched as Grian stepped behind the tree and disappeared back into the woods. Never in a thousand years would Mumbo have ever thought he'd be in that situation. He definitely owed his grandma an apology. The fae existed and Grian was going to visit again soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed these last two chapters, if you did, please leave kudos and also comment. Share your thoughts! And, if you have any suggestions on the tags you want to see in this Grumbo tag series, then please let me know :D


	3. Inquisitive Lore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short chapter, I'm still not too sure where I want to go with this story, but I have six more chapters to get us to whatever destination lies ahead :D I hope you enjoy this, because it was quite fun to write.

It had been several days since that first meeting, and Mumbo had almost grown used to his forest-dwelling visitor. Grian would arrive at the same time every night and Mumbo would chat with him, although the fae's English wasn't to the highest standard, Mumbo could still understand him. Through the hours of conversation, Mumbo had concluded that Grian was some kind of winged fawn. It had taken the moustached man a lot of research to reach that conclusion, and the job of a winged fae was to be the protector of the forest, in which it was born. From the small size of Grian's horns, it was clear that he was still very young and hadn't grown into his title, as of yet, however, after their many chats, Mumbo had learned that Grian wasn't the only fae living in the forest. Apparently, there was an entire colony of fae, all of them, different races, all apart from Xisuma, who was to be succeeded by Grian, when the young fawn grew into his horns. Mumbo hadn't met the other fae, he would like to meet them, but not all of them were as curious and excitable as Grian. Mumbo was just glad to have a friend, who regularly visited him, and from the way that Grian behaved, the blond seemed to be just as thankful.

* * *

The fire roared from it's place under the mantle, it's flickering tendrils dances and swayed lighting up the room where Mumbo was sat. His muscles ached from the renovations he'd been undertaking and with a belly filled from his dinner, he was almost ready to doze off, when he heard the distant scratches on the door. A knowing smirk stretched across Mumbo's lips as he made his way to the door and pulled it open, to reveal Grian. The fawn was just as before, his large impressive wings were folded delicately at his back, his hair was mussed with flowers forming a little crown around his stubby horns, that peaked through the blond curls. His blue eyes brightened when he saw Mumbo and he bounced on the balls of his feet excitedly. "Mumbo!" He grinned, the moustached man chuckled at the rather cute behaviour and greeted the young fae. 

"It's rather chilly outside tonight, would you like to come in?" Mumbo asked, shivering slightly from the nocturnal breeze. 

Grian froze at the question, his ears flicked downwards and he peeked his head past the door, glancing inside nervously, before eyeing Mumbo suspiciously. "I never been in human house." He admitted softly. 

"Did my grandma not invite you inside?" He asked, it was very unlike the woman who'd raised him, for she would invite all sorts of people into the house. A distinct memory flooded Mumbo's mind, when he had been relaxing and reading a book a young man who he didn't know came and stood beside him. His grandma had let in a door-to-door salesman and had provided him with a glass of milk. The woman had such a large heart, so the fact that she'd never invited the fae inside, especially on the nights that were as chilly as this, was completely against her nature. 

"Eleanor knew rules of fae." Grian explained, his eyes downcast. Mumbo's brow furrowed.

"There are rules that stop you from coming into the house?"

"Fae forbidden are from humans." Grian muttered.

"But if you're forbidden from interacting with humans, you're already breaking that rule? How is you coming inside any different?" Mumbo asked. 

Grian mulled Mumbo's logic in his head, his ears twitched as he thought, until they pricked to attention and a beaming smile spread across Grian's lips. He nodded. "Mumbo right." He agreed. The moustached man chuckled and stepped aside, allowing the fawn inside. Grian's ears flicked in interest as he padded across the house, his eyes jumping from one thing to the other. "What this?" He asked, finger gesturing to the rug.

"It's a rug,"

"Use?"

"Well... err?" Mumbo thought for a moment, he couldn't think of a practical use for the stretch of fabric. "It's just decoration." Grian nodded at that and then proceeded to ask about the fridge, sink and oven. Mumbo gave his explanations with an amused grin, as he followed the fawn through the house. The young fae then proceeded to ask about the toilet, shower and then the bed. 

"This is where I sleep."

"Grian rests in bush." The fawn muttered as he tentatively pressed his hand to the soft duvet. He gasped at how comfortable it was and then without hesitation, clambered atop the mattress, giggling at how he bounced. Mumbo chuckled as he brushed off the dirt left behind by the fawn's feet. He rolled his eyes at the innocent creature as Grian then proceeded to bounce on the mattress. "This more fun! No sleep!" He yelled. 

"Okay, okay." Mumbo placated as he too climbed onto the bed, wrestling the young fawn to lay down. "This is how you use it." He told him. Grian gasped at the feeling of Mumbo's hands gently touching his fur, he watched with intrigue as the moustached man settled him into the covers, his head resting on the pillow. The comfort, in which humans lived was so strange to Grian, he had grown up sleeping in bushes and trapesing around the forest without soft fluffy carpets or warm fires. A part of him felt as if he had been missing out. 

"See? Isn't this much nicer?" Mumbo asked, as he lay beside the fawn. Grian nodded quietly as he wriggled closer to the taller man, he nuzzled his face into Mumbo's chest and then proceeded to encase the raven-haired man in a cacoon of his limbs. Mumbo's eyes widened when Grian shuffled towards him and pulled him into a cuddle. It was rather odd for two mates to snuggle on the bed, but yet, he wasn't used to the fae's customs, this was quite possibly normal behaviour between Grian and his friends. Although he couldn't help but notice the small sensation in his chest, the strange need to protect and care for the small creature. Mumbo had to reposition his head several times as to not be impaled by the short, but surprisingly sharp horns. Soft snoring began to vibrate between the two, as Grian drifted away into slumber, Mumbo smiled affectionately at him and began to slowly stroke the fur on Grian's back. Was it wrong to feel this way for a creature such as Grian? Was he breaking some sort of rule or sacred code? Either way, Mumbo could hardly stop the distant feelings from fluttering in his chest. He was quite happy to cuddle with Grian for the rest of his life, whatever that may mean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this story so far, I hope that you're all enjoying it, if you are, I'd love it if you leave kudos and comment your thoughts :D


	4. Moustache & Bacon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so here's the next chapter for this story. I am really excited with where this is headed, and I hope you all enjoy this little fluffy chapter. If Mumbo having a romantic relationship with a fawn makes you feel weird, then I'm gonna warn you now, that is exactly where this is headed, so please be aware.

Warmth, it was the beginning of winter, how was the forest so warm? Grian snuggled deeper into the soft body beside him. Why was he so comfortable, his usual bush could be rather prickly, not pliant and silky. He flicked his eyes open to inspect his surroundings, and for a moment, he forgot where he was. Panic swamped him and his stomach plummeted to his knees. He was inside a human house. Why was he here? Had he been stolen? Was he in danger? Where was his family? The thoughts were intrusive and uncontrollable, his chest tightened and his eyes clenched shut as he attempted to control his breathing.

Soft snoring sounded beside him and pulled him from his rapid-fire thoughts, the fawn glanced to the man, who he had been snuggling close to, and his eyes connected with a fluffy black moustache. Mumbo. His memories from the night prior flooded through his mind, the knot in his chest loosened and he felt his shoulders relax, as his breathing returned to normal. The fae watched the man beside him, Mumbo seemed so peaceful, the usual lines of worry or grief that creased his features were gone, he seemed so relaxed. Grian took a fuzzy finger and traced along Mumbo's face, where the lines usually were. 

The moustached man grinned in his sleep, and wriggled away from the tickly digit. "Stop." He muttered groggily before his eyes flicked open, connecting with the blue irises, of his companion.

"Sorry." The young fawn muttered, eyes wide with concern. Mumbo's brow furrowed at that.

"Why are you sorry?"

"Asked stop." The fawn replied with his lopsided English. Mumbo chuckled, and nodded in realisation.

"I'm not hurt, you just tickled me, that's all."

"Tickle?" The fawn asked, a confused expression creased his brow. Mumbo shrugged.

"Yeah."

"What that?"

At the question, Mumbo felt a soft flush spread across his cheeks as he struggled to find the words to explain it. "Umm... Well, sometimes when you touch someone too lightly, it feels weird. That's what tickling is." He explained. The fawn nodded, a calculated expression fixed to his features, he reached out a hand and ran his fingers along Mumbo's side. The moustached man let out a soft giggle and wriggled away. 

"Tickle!" The fawn exclaimed with pride before moving to do it again.

"Ah. No." Mumbo chuckled and grasped the other's hand before he could do it again. "It's not something a lot of people enjoy having done to them." He explained. 

The fawn nodded, eyes still fixed to Mumbo's face. Grian reached out an inquisitive hand and gently touched the moustache that sat atop the other man's lip. It was soft and fuzzy, very similar to his fur. Grian grinned and began to stroke it. Mumbo could barely keep his giggling at bay at this strange behaviour. "What are you doing?"

"Soft."

Mumbo's brow furrowed at the other's comment and shrugged. "Fair enough." He muttered and allowed the fawn to continue to touch his facial hair. "So your kind doesn't get to meet human's very much?" He asked, eyes slipping closed, as he folded his hands behind his head, relaxing against the mattress.

"No." Grian answered, still very much occupied with playing with the other's moustache. 

"So, other than my Grandma, have you ever spoken to anyone else?"

Grian shrugged. "No. Makes you special." He smiled sweetly as he tapped his finger to the tip of Mumbo's nose. The man giggled and shook his head.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. The fawn thought for a moment before nodding. 

"Berries?"

"I don't have berries in, at the moment. I have cereal? Or bacon?"

"What bacon?"

"It's pork, meat from a pig."

Grian's face morphed to one of horror. "No meat!" He all but screamed scrambling from the bed and away from Mumbo. The raven-haired man's brow raised in shock at the fawn's sudden movement. 

"Okay, that's fine, no meat." Mumbo muttered, his tone soft and comforting. The fawn watched him warily and shook his head, his soft blond curls bobbing with each movement. Mumbo pushed himself from the bed and stepped carefully towards the startled fae. "It's okay, Grian, no meat." He muttered. The blond watched Mumbo warily, before allowing himself to be pulled into a soft embrace, he rested his head on Mumbo's chest, sighing as the man stroked circles into his back.

The two remained like that, cuddling each other, Mumbo gently soothing Grian, while the fawn lapped up the attention. "Why did that scare you?" Mumbo asked, barely above a whisper, so not to startle the fawn in his arms. Grian trembled at the thought of eating an animal's flesh and buried his face deeper into Mumbo's chest. 

"No animal die. It wrong." He replied. Mumbo nodded and smiled softly at how adorable the creature was behaving. Without thinking, he pressed a soft kiss to the crown of the fae's head, narrowly missing his horns. Grian froze then, his body stiffened before he slowly peered up to the taller man. The two watched each other for a moment before Grian lifted himself onto his toes and pressed their lips together.

The door rattled against its hinges as a fist rapped against it. The two jumped apart, "Oh, goodness, sorry." Mumbo floundered, a blush forming on his cheeks. Grian giggled and shrugged. 

"It okay." He nodded before glancing pointedly at the door and then back to Mumbo. The moustached man stared at Grian dumbly for a moment before the knocking sounded once again, the noise shattered Mumbo's from his shocked thoughts and he scrambled to make his way to the door, pulling it open and peering outside. 

Stood on the porch was a tall fawn, he looked so similar to Grian except he stood miles taller, his body was hard and lean with built-up muscle, his fur was a stark silvery-grey, and his horns stood tall and proud atop his head. "Where is Grian?" The older fae asked, his eyes stormy and focused, the moustached man glanced behind him to his furry guest and then back to the other at the door.

"Here."

"You've been requested to attend a meeting with the high fae." The older fawn's voice was stern, leaving no room for arguments. His English was much more developed than Grian's and Mumbo couldn't help but be impressed with the man's ability to speak the human language.

"High fae?"

"Our leader, Xisuma." Mumbo felt a lump form at his throat, why would the leader of the fae ask for his attendance? He nodded.

"Oh... Okay, let me grab my coat and shoes." He muttered before stepping away from the door and fumbling around the cabin in search for the items of clothing. Grian stepped past the flustered Mumbo and grinned at the older fawn, he opened his mouth and otherworldly sounds began to pour from his lips. A beautiful song-like language was shared between the two. Where Grian's rendition seemed so sweet and carefree, the older fawn's words were much harder and stern, his eyes were fixed on Grian with a steely focus. 

"I'm ready!" Mumbo shouted, interrupting the two. The older fawn glanced at Mumbo, he pursed his lips thoughtfully before nodding once. 

"Come along, human." He huffed and turned on the spot, marching towards the forest.

Grian stayed behind the older fae, walking alongside Mumbo, he slipped his fuzzy fingers in Mumbo's hand. The moustached man startled slightly at that and glanced to where their bodies joined. He gave a small smile and closed his fingers around the other's. "Who is that?" He asked Grian. The shorter of the two sighed. 

"Cub. Xisuma's ass- assis--" He struggled to pronounce the word.

"Assistant?" Mumbo offered, Grian's ears twitched and beamed brightly with a swift nod.

"Yeah!" He exclaimed. 

"Why does Xisuma want to meet me?" Mumbo asked, heart fluttering from his anxiety. It had been a rather eventful morning, he had awoken to some tickling, had comforted a panicked fawn, kissed said fawn and was now traipsing through the forest in search for the high fae. If Mumbo were to tell his past self what he would be up to, when he returned to his late grandma's house, he surely would have laughed at himself.

"Ideas, In don't have." Grian replied, his own tone had switched from the usual energetic happiness and had filtered to that of anxiety. Mumbo's chest tightened all the more and he frowned to himself. Whatever Xisuma wanted, it probably was not going to be good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading this chapter and I hope you're all enjoying this so far :D I don't know if this was my best work, but I really enjoyed working on it :D If you liked it please leave kudos and let me know your thoughts in the comments :D


	5. Shattered Glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there guys, here is a much longer chapter than normal, I hope you enjoyed it :D I spent a lot of time writing it and I'm quite happy with the results :D

Mumbo had lived with his grandmother for almost eighteen years and in that time he had explored the forests near the village on numerous occasions, but he had never ventured as deep as they were currently. The trees had come together to form a shady canopy, where the sun's light shone down favourably over the village, so far into the forest, it may as well have been dusk. The darkness clung to the trees, the shadowy tar that hung on every petal, every leaf was stark. A reminder of how far they had walked. Mumbo's eyes flicked across each piece of greenery, both in awe at the beauty and sickly disturbed by the lack of sunlight to bathe the forest.

Beside Mumbo was his winged companion... Friend? Crush? He hadn't a clue on how to categorise the adorable winged fawn. Just that morning they had shared a kiss. It was a fleeting brush of lips, but enough to unlock the place in his chest, filling it with images of the adorable creature. His blue eyes and gorgeously soft wings, his large heart and his abrasive confidence. Mumbo loved it all. It filled him in places that he hadn't realised needed to be filled. The winged fawn had flown into his life and had made himself a small den in his chest. A small place that was his and his alone. Mumbo's heart ached at the thought. He felt so lucky, so blessed that such a magnificent creature, as Grian had deemed him worthy to share such a tranquil moment with, as the kiss that morning. Grian must have sensed his watching eyes because he flashed a small smile to him, little dimples marked either side of his lips as he beamed. Mumbo's eyes softened at the sight. He wanted to cradle the blond in his arms, carry him away, keep him safe and love him forevermore. But yet, he couldn't. Mumbo was certain that Grian returned his feelings, for not only had the fawn shared his kiss, but the bright blush that spread across his cheekbones each time Mumbo gazed at his beauty was enough of a clue for Mumbo. It wasn't a lot to go on, but it was enough. Ahead of them was the older fawn, Cub. His long elegant wings trailed behind him, slowly bobbing with each of his steps. Mumbo's eyes traced the soft grey pattern that the feathers formed across his back. Cub was stern and weathered, his skin hard and wrinkled under his greying fur. Mumbo didn't much like the older fawn, but Grian seemed to trust him, which was enough for Mumbo. They followed dutifully behind Cub. 

"A human!" Mumbo heard a woman cry, he glanced to where the voice had come from and his eyes landed on another winged fawn, her feathers were a soft baby pink and her brunette hair hung to her shoulders. Her eyes were wide with astonishment as she watched Mumbo walked. It was as if she had never seen a human before. Mumbo flashed her a small smile, but she only returned a worried gaze, as her eyes flicked from the blond and back to him. "Grian!" She called to the fae beside Mumbo, the blond glanced at her and shook his head softly, answering her questioning gaze with a silent reply. Her mouth snapped closed, her eyes still fixed on Mumbo, watching them as they continued to walk. Until, finally they had shifted out of her sight.

"Who's that?" Mumbo asked, voice quiet and barely above a whisper, as they walked away from the female fae. Grian glanced to him, his eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. Irritation was obvious in the lines of his face.

"Stress. Sister, she is." Grian replied, his voice a harsh dagger in the cool shadow of the forest. Mumbo glanced back to where they had seen the female fae. He could no longer glimpse her. His brows knotted with curiosity at the stern tones of Grian's voice, he had never heard such hidden ferocity from the fawn, and to some extent, Mumbo was frightened by it. What had happened? Why had Grian reacted as such? He was so kind and sweet, his voice always eliciting a lopsided grin from Mumbo, and to then hear it so firm, and in relation to his sister, no less? Puzzlement tangled itself in Mumbo's stomach. 

The trio continued walking through the forest, occasionally slipping past winged fawns and other small animals. Mumbo had counted three foxes and two badgers, the animals hid from them, darting from their path and into the thick underbrush. Mumbo could feel their eyes watching them. As the three continued in their venture, the trees opened up to a clearing. Sun finally began to bathe the world around them, blessing the grass, a luscious green and dancing with the trees in their emerald leaves. In the centre of the clearing and surrounded by a field of flowers, stood a large chair. A thrown. Its wood was weathered and mossy, intricate carvings decorated the back of it, depicting a series of winged fawns and in its centre was what appeared to be a star. Mumbo's eyes were transfixed to the images. He was so focused on them, that he hadn't noticed the approaching footsteps. "You must be Mumbo Jumbo." A stern voice cut through the silence that had ebbed between the trio, a scarlet spiders web, binding them all and sealing their lips shut. When that unfamiliar voice spoke, the web was broken. Mumbo glanced to the owner of said voice and his eyes fell on a sight that was equally horrifying and intriguing. A large muscular fawn billowed past them, cutting through the group and shoving in between Mumbo and Grian. His antlers stood tall atop his head, like the branches of a tree, they reached for the sun, his hair and face was covered by a metal mask. It seemed so foreign and alien to the setting, it was a jarring sight. For such a fantastical being, a manmade helmet, such as what this fawn adorned was out of place. The large fawn stepped towards the thrown and threw himself down onto the seat, crossing his legs at the ankle, he gazed down his nose at the three, his silver wings relaxed behind him, like a feathery cape. He glanced to Cub and nodded his thanks, dismissing the older fae with a foreign tongue, the language that poured from his lips was from another time and completely unknown to Mumbo. He watched as Cub elegantly bowed his head to the larger fawn, he then turned on his heel and stepped away from the group. Leaving Mumbo and Grian at the mercy of this creature. Although Mumbo couldn't make out the other's expression, he was almost certain that this larger, fierce fawn was pinning him in place with a fierce glare. 

"I am Xisuma. I summoned you here." His voice was so strong and elegant, akin to that of English royalty. Mumbo felt the sudden urge to bow to the man, to offer his services. He resisted it, something deep in his soul was whispering for him to not trust Xisuma. He thought he saw a smirk from behind the mask, but as soon as it had appeared, it was gone. "First of all, welcome to my homeland. I see that you have become well acquainted with my son, Grian." Xisuma gestured to the blond with a distant flap of his wing. Grian's head dipped in response, his cheeks flushed a bright red, while the rest of his face paled. On closer inspection, Mumbo could see slight tremors shaking through the smaller man's body. Mumbo wanted to take Grian's hand, whip him away from this, save him. But yet, he hadn't a clue to what he was supposedly saving him from. He had known that Grian was the son of the fae king, for Grian had said that one day, he would claim the thrown when he came of age. However, he was shocked that the father who'd spawned such a beautiful creature was a monster himself. The moustached man reeled at that contrast, his eyes narrowing on the purple visor that Xisuma donned. Mumbo nodded silently. "Very good. I am sure that he has been treating you..." His voice tapered off as he gazed through Grian. The hidden eyes that lurked behind the mask could see through the blond. It was as if he was sifting through his memories. "Nicely." He drawled, a sardonic chuckle rolled from his throat, dripping with exposed disgust. Grian ducked behind Mumbo at that, hiding himself from his judgemental father.

"Yes. He has been." Mumbo nodded. Xisuma hummed noncommittally. He continued to watch Grian, almost ignoring that Mumbo was there at all. 

"Grian. Please leave us." Although his words sounded polite to Mumbo's ears, he knew that it was far from kind, far from the soft and gentle manners that his Grandmother had taught him, all that time ago. These words were laced with cyanide. They were charged with something else. Something unspoken

"But..." Grian's head snapped up at his father's request, his eyes widened, almost pleading with the man, to allow him to stay. Mumbo could feel Grian's smaller hands gripping his suit jacket. Oh, how he wanted to care for him, to show him the love that he deserved. 

"Silence. Leave." Xisuma snarled, interrupting Mumbo's thoughts. He felt Grian's body tighten, his muscles tensed in reaction to that tone. Mumbo glanced back to the blond, Grian flashed a sorrowful gaze, his eyes flashing with warning, but his mouth downturn into a sad curve. Mumbo discreetly intertwined their fingers, angling his body to obscure the view from Xisuma. Grian smiled softly at that. Even if the fae hadn't been comforted by Mumbo's actions, he was sated with them, safe in the knowledge that Mumbo was there, that he would be there always. That they would come back to each other, after this had gone away. Grian pulled his hand from Mumbo's grasp, almost regretfully and the raven-haired man had to keep his hand tight to his side so as not to chase after the fawn, so that he didn't press the kiss that he so desperately wanted, against the other's lips. At the tone that the fae king shot at his almost lover, When Grian had walked out of Mumbo's sight, the moustached man turned his rage-filled glare to Xisuma, although it was hardly fruitful, for the man didn't even flinch. 

"You can't talk to him like that." Mumbo snarled, his lip twitching. The image that Grian had painted, as he had walked away was stark in Mumbo's mind. The smaller fawn had compressed his body, his wings wrapping like a comfort blanket across his shoulders. 

"I can talk to him how I like, human." Xisuma snapped, spitting the last word as if it were a vile taste against his tongue. He trained a glare to the raven-haired man, holding him there with his eyes, peeking through and into his mind. Forcing his strength and power upon Mumbo, an attempt to break that resolve that the man pushed forward. But Mumbo strengthened his mental walls. He stood straighter, a challenge. Xisuma grimaced at that. "I brought you here to request something." 

"What?" At Mumbo's harsh reply, Xisuma let out a breathy laugh, taken aback by this human's strength of will. He grinned cruelly at the other, although Mumbo had no way of seeing it, he knew that it was there. Could feel its burn, against his skin. But, within a second, that horrid expression fell, only to be replaced by a false sense of diplomacy.

"A truce, of sorts. If I ensure that your grandmother's cabin remains safe and protected, will you leave here." Xisuma spoke as if he were talking to a business partner, as if he was doing Mumbo a favour. The request stabbed through Mumbo's psyche. His eyes widened at Xisuma's words. 

"Leave? You mean leave the village." He sputtered.

"Precisely that. Yes." Xisuma's hands folded together under his chin, he flashed a grin at Mumbo, hungry and lustful for something that Mumbo was not prepared to give. The moustached man backed away slightly, his eyes fading to the image of Grian's face. How could he leave the beautiful man? His almost lover?

"Why?" Mumbo asked, eyes narrowing. He was sure that the fae king would never have offered such a trade, unless he was going to benefit from it. The thought of leaving here, when he had only just found Grian sent bile curdling in his belly. He knew then, he wouldn't be able to leave the other, even if he wanted to.

"My son, as you have probably noticed, is to be crowned the fae king, upon the shedding of my horns. I will lose the ability to defend my kingdom and so Grian will take the thrown. He is not ready yet. He is young and naive. He doesn't know the threat that your kind posses towards us."

"Threat? My kind?" Mumbo sputtered in insult, interrupting Xisuma. His eyes flashed and narrowed on the fae king. Mumbo had been nothing but kind to the fae, and if he had the chance to interact with the other fawns, he was certain that he would have been just as kind and respectful. He knew that humans had a tendency to be cruel and unforgiving, but to banish an entire species due to a select few seemed mad and outrageous. "What are you trying to say?" He snarled.

"I am not _trying_ to say anything. I _am_ saying that your kind are evil. You will lead the fae into damnation. I cannot allow that. So long as I am King, there is one strict rule. Do not fraternise with humans, that includes friendships and..." His eyes roved over Mumbo, the moustached man could feel that searching gaze through his skin, it was as if Xisuma could peer into his mind, exposing all his secrets, revealing his worst fears. He felt those roaming fingers pry into his memories, picking apart the images of him with his grandmother, those happy times turned sour at the violating touch of Xisuma's hands. He felt the fae delve into his most recent thoughts, the ones that depicted Grian. He was back in the room with him, lips locked together in the heat of sweet and unadulterated passion. It was marred and soiled, Xisuma let out a guffaw at the sight. "Romantic relationships." he sneered.

Mumbo sputtered in response. "I am not in a romantic relationship." _Yet_. He desperately wanted to add. If he were to leave the forest, leave the village, that yet would not be possible, and Mumbo was sure that he would never forgive himself for not giving it a chance.

"And the kiss, today?" Xisuma asked, revealing the memory to Mumbo. A twisted turn, the colours were askew and something sickly sweet tainted that memory, Xisuma's hands twitched as he tried to destroy the image. Mumbo stood strong, snatching it back, storing it away in his mind. It was his and his alone. No mythical being could take that from him. 

"That... That?" Mumbo struggled for words. It was indeed what it looked like and there was no way he could deny that, he had wanted the kiss just as much as Grian, he had needed it. He still needed it. "What am I supposed to do?" Mumbo muttered, brokenly, his heart clenched at the thought. He couldn't leave Grian, but yet Xisuma was persistent. "I don't want to leave him." He all but whimpered. 

"Pfft. It's been but a few days, I'm sure that if you were fine with your life prior to knowing my son, you will be fine to continue as such."

The harsh tones stung Mumbo. Grian was not a thing that could just be forgotten. The smaller fae was strong and confident, funny and curious. He couldn't be just expected to abandon the fae, could he? 

"You will leave tonight." Xisuma's voice interrupted Mumbo's thoughts.

"Tonight?!" Mumbo gasped, brows raising at that. How could he be expected to leave? He'd have no chance to explain to the fae, no chance to say goodbye. No chance to express his feelings. Then it clicked. That was exactly what Xisuma wanted, it was what he was pushing for. His motives were clear, it was not about defending the fae from humans, it was purely self-motivated. Xisuma wanted to keep Mumbo and Grian apart.

"Yes."

"And if I don't? I might need to remind you, but you're not my king." Mumbo snapped, his eyes flashing in challenge. Xisuma may have ruled his kingdom with such selfish abandon, but he would not rule him. He had no power over Mumbo and that was a fact that he would use against the fae king. 

Within an instant, Xisuma's wings spread, their power flushing a gust of wind into Mumbo's face, he had to shield his eyes from the strength of the breeze, when he peered back to the man, Xisuma was but an inch from his face. Mumbo cried out and stepped backwards, but Xisuma followed him, a dirty hand coiled around his tie, holding him in place, the raven-haired man could feel the antlers brushing against his skin. Xisuma smirked triumphantly. "If you refuse, then I will be forced to tear you limb from limb. I will rid your skeleton of the wretched mass that is your flesh and I will feed it to my people. We will feast upon you, while we pick our teeth with the remains of your bones."

Mumbo fought to keep his trembling body still, he narrowed his eyes on Xisuma. "Grian hates the idea of killing others, he would resent you. He would hate you."

"So be it. But I would force him to have the first bite. He will feast on your heart."

* * *

Mumbo stumbled through the forest, his body thrummed with rage and his eyes were alight with his frustration. Xisuma had proved that he was not bluffing, for when Mumbo was preoccupied with the man's voice, the fae had slipped a dagger from behind his back and plunged it between Mumbo's ribs, tearing the blade away, Xisuma had licked his crimson blood from its sharp edge. Mumbo cliched at his side. He had to get to a hospital or he was sure he'd bleed out. A distant cry bellowed in the back of his mind, the soft sight of Grian stood in his memories. He knew he couldn't just leave Grian, he knew what he was doing was wrong. But if he had stayed much longer, Mumbo may have been used as fertiliser for the luscious forest. Distantly, he was fearful that if he had continued to challenge Xisuma, not only would Mumbo have perished, but before his own death, he would have been forced to watch the man hurt Grian, kill the fae that he had grown so fond of. He had no choice but to leave. No matter how many tears he cried or how his heart ached for him to stay, to build a life with the fae. He hadn't a say in the matter. Xisuma had decided for him, his wound had dictated his actions. 

* * *

As night fell, Grian sat near his sister, hushing her into slumber. His mind was fixed on the memory of Mumbo, the human who had captured his heart. He had to see him, had to speak with him, but the moustached man had been nowhere. After being dismissed by his father, Grian had been forced to the side, forced to stay beside Stress. He had escaped for only a brief moment to search for his almost lover, but Mumbo was nowhere to be found. Grian knew what had happened, but he wasn't prepared to accept it. Mumbo would never have left him, not without explanation, not without saying goodbye.

The young fae stood beside the clearing, the pitch night was darker than it was closer to the village for there was no light pollution so far into the forest. Grian could spot the thrown, where his father spent the majority of his time. His stomach twisted with anxiety, his shoulders bunched and his wings wrapped around his slight body. The stars shone down on the clearing, lighting the silver wings of his father, exposing his position, beside the thrown. Memories of punishments and harsher words swamped Grian's mind. The man who was supposed to love him had never shown such courtesy. Grian's mother had been the kinder of the two, had comforted the blond and his sister. But when she had passed to poachers, his father's anger had plagued them, ruling their minds with fear and possession.

Grian stepped cautiously, his feet crushing the grass below him as he inched his way across the clearing and to his father. He stood beside the thrown, his eyes wide and searching, "Father?" He asked with a small voice, Xisuma's antlers stung the smaller fae's eyes, their silhouettes were reaching demons, blackened and ashy hands reaching for salvation, reaching to tear down those in their path. Xisuma didn't even flinch or turn to him as he spoke. He merely remained facing away from him.

"Where's Mumbo?" Grian asked, his voice soft and weak, he had a sneaking suspicion as to what had happened to the human he had begun to feel something towards, he knew, distantly, nothing but a theory, but something deep within Grian knew what his father had done. Xisuma remained focused on the view ahead of him.

"Gone. Where he belongs." Was the only answer that Grian received. Tears pricked the young fawn's eyes, his chest clenching with horror.

"Why?" He asked, his voice weak and breaking from his sorrow, a shattered glass to match his braking heart.

"For your safety and the safety of our kind."

"But he safe and good." Grian muttered through his tears, voice hitching and catching on each syllable. He received no answer. The young fawn glared daggers into his father's back. He remained in place for a moment longer, hoping to receive some form of response from the man, but upon the prolonged silence, Grian's resolve tightened, an armour around himself. His wings flicked to their full size and began to flap, billowing winds around him, shaking the branches of trees and blowing the heads off flowers. He lifted himself into the air and flew, soaring high above the trees, bee-lining straight to the small cabin that he had met the moustached man. His tears dried on his face as he flew, the air stinging his cheeks. He landed softly on the grass with a soft thud, beside the stump, where he had first spoken to Mumbo. His eyes flicked to the house and his heart snapped as he saw there were no lights emanating from the windows and no smoke billowing from the chimney. He stepped forward and pushed gently against the cabin door. The spruce wood swung open to reveal a colder and darker version to the light and happy place he had come to associate with the man who he had begun to love. "Mumbo?" He called out softly, but received no reply. Grian stepped through the house, his feet meeting the soft cushioning of the rug. "Mumbo?" He called out again, voice raw and croaking on his tears. 

He stood at the door to the bedroom and stared at the empty bed. Just that morning the two had shared the space under the covers, he had touched the soft bristly moustache and they had kissed. Grian's eyes fell closed, tears cascaded down his cheeks as he climbed atop the bed, hugging the pillow that smelt so strongly of Mumbo. He rocked himself, his wings wrapped around his wrecked body as he descended into a restless sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for all of your support on this story :D if you all liked it, then please consider leaving kudos if you haven't already, but if you have, please leave me a comment of your thoughts, I love to read through them :D


	6. Two Worlds One Link

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, thank you for being so patient with me. I know it's been a long time coming, but the chapter is finally up :D
> 
> I hope you enjoy this one :D

Roaring with life, the city thrummed like a beating heart. Cars gurgled as they drove through the streets, people bustled across the pathways, their eyes glazed with the intricacies of their lives, focused on their phones and steps as they marched through each new chapter of their journeys. Above the cacophony of the inner city, Mumbo’s flat overlooked the smoggy capital. 

Like a veil, serene darkness was draped across the stretching blocks of flats, the high-reaching business buildings. It’s dank tendrils flickered at every window and tapped at the double glazed pane that separated Mumbo’s flat to the rest of reality. The curtains were drawn closed across the glass screen, an opaque barrier that protected the contents of the living quarters. 

Devilishly persistent fingers of black still slipped through and painted the room with their shadows, dancing their spidery waltz across the walls and surfaces of the table. Their reach was halted, however, at the perimeter of golden flickering light that guarded the small sitting room. The fire crackled and popped in the hearth, undulating flames rocked and bent to the whims of the energetic force of the blaze.

Mumbo’s pale skin was illuminated by the orange hues, his eyes fixated on the controlled inferno before him, emerald green offset by the bright yellows. His brow pinched together, leaving a wrinkle of thought in his mind. His body leant back into the chair, the leather creaked and groaned with each of his minuscule movements. His elbow dug into the cushioned arm and his handheld his chin, fingers drumming a melancholic beat against his lips. 

Humming quietly, his eyes were caught by a distant vision from the corner of his vision. He flicked his gaze across the room to the object of his interest and narrowed his stare on the book. It sat innocently on the side table. It’s cover closed, withholding it’s informative contents, hiding its words away from Mumbo. It was no use though, he’d already read the book word for word and from cover to cover. He could recite every line, recall every snippet of lore that it had detailed in its pages. 

The one statement that stuck in Mumbo’s mind was like a stick that poked from a serene pool. ‘Fae pair for life.’ A puff of a snide snort blew from his mind as his glare darkened in irritation at the book. 

He had been confined in this self-induced prison for almost three years. His company had all but crumbled under his disinterest. He’d tried to return to the humdrum of normal life after fleeing his grandmother’s cabin. But the memory of two bright blue eyes, wings and antlers kept flashing through his mind, catching his attention and holding it there, captured and caged with no other focal point other than the feathered fae. 

A whimper broke through the silence, croaking from between his lips. Mumbo’s eyes stung with unshed tears as his mouth twisted in dismay. Soft fur under his fingers, gentle lips pressed against his own. Trusting and beautiful. Grian. 

* * *

Under the watchful gaze of the silver moon, Grian settled in his woven throne. Vines and twigs adorned it, snippets of nature, formed and folded into a pedestal-like seat. His eyes flicked up to the sky, the stars twinkled and winked at him, as if they knew something that he didn’t. He was sure that they were mocking him, or guiding him. Begging him to follow them to some unknown setting, traverse across a path to the forgotten.

“They’re suspicious. The villagers. They’re combing the edges of the forest.” The voice that attempted to break Grian’s staring contest with the flaming balls in the sky failed and petered into silence. His mind was too far gone. Too distracted. “Should we --” Grian’s head snapped towards the other fae. Stress’ eyes widened at his stare. Her ears flicked back and rested flat against her head. 

“No. We will do nothing.” Grian hissed at her. 

“But…” Grian’s eyes hardened, narrowing on her, pinning her in place. He raised a serene brow, warning her of her next words. Stress nodded quietly, her mouth clamped shut before she bowed her chin to her clavicles and silently backed away. Grian watched her retreat, his eyes fixed to her wings, the feathers rustled and bristled with each of her steps. His lips pursed with thought before he cast his gaze away, peaking back to the sky.

Three years. It had been three years since he’d seen his human. Too long. Grian’s heart still ached as it had all those years ago. Still pricked painfully, the image of the empty bed, the comfortable warmth of Mumbo’s hands against his fur-coated skin. So soft and gentle. His jaw clenched, eyes hardening. His human. Who knew where he was?

* * *

The fire continued to roar in its place, its glow still painted the sitting room with its soft hues. The chair, now empty stood tall and lonely to the side of the hearth. Distantly, in the far reaches of the flat, footsteps clapped against the wooden floors. Draws were pulled and pushed, their contents shown and then hidden. Breaths and sighs filled the quiet spaces as two pale fingers clasped against the zipper of the suitcase. The contents of a life, the evidence of need. All neatly folded and packed, sitting in their place within the confines of the bag. The lid was closed and sealed. An ending to the silence. It was time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this chapter, please leave a comment and if you really liked it, then please leave kudos :D
> 
> Stay safe peeps!


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